Gene Scene

Thanks to a $750,000 Cullen Foundation grant to the Institute for Molecular Design (IMD), UH researchers will be among the first in the region to use a cutting-edge $500,000 genetic sequencer, which will help make UH a major player in genetic science. The sequencer will allow the analysis of whole organisms as well as samplings with many organisms mixed together. It is only the second installation of its kind in Houston. In addition, the M.D. Anderson Foundation has awarded $500,000 to IMD for construction and build-out costs associated with the Science and Engineering Research and Classroom Complex. Specifically, the grant will help build out the facility’s fourth floor including walls, ceilings, flooring, utility distribution, lab benches, and hoods for each laboratory space. The grant will impact the completion of IMD’s lab space—allowing more rapid and efficient collaboration to help advance IMD’s research.